Preliminary Draft Plan
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United States Department of Agriculture Lincoln National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan Preliminary Draft Chaves, Eddy, Lincoln, and Otero Counties, New Mexico Forest Service Lincoln National Forest May, 2019 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. Lincoln National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan Preliminary Draft Chaves, Eddy, Lincoln and Otero Counties, New Mexico Responsible Official: Travis Moseley, Forest Supervisor Lincoln National Forest 3463 Las Palomas Road Alamogordo, NM 88310 For Additional Information: Diane Prather, Forest Planner Lincoln National Forest 3463 Las Palomas Road Alamogordo, NM 88310 575-434-7237 Land and Resource Management Plan – Preliminary Draft Acronyms AML appropriate management level NFS National Forest System AOI annual operating instructions NHL National Historic Landmark APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection NHPA National Historic Preservation Act Service NM New Mexico BLM Bureau of Land Management NMAAQS New Mexico ambient air quality BMP best management practice standards CEQ Council on Environmental Quality NMDA New Mexico Department of CFR Code of Federal Regulations Agriculture CFRP Collaborative Forest Restoration NMDGF New Mexico Department of Game and Program Fish CRMP Comprehensive river management plan NMED New Mexico Environment Department CPLC Court of Private Land Claims NMED-AQB New Mexico Environment CSU controlled surface use Department, Air Quality Bureau CWD coarse woody debris NPS National Park Service CWPP County Wildfire Protection Plan NRHP National Register of Historic Places dbh diameter at breast height NRV natural range of variation DOI Department of Interior NSO no surface occupancy EPA Environmental Protection Agency OHV off-highway vehicle ERU ecological response unit PM particulate matter ESA Endangered Species Act RAM rapid assessment methodology FSH Forest Service Handbook RD Ranger District HFRA Healthy Forest Restoration Act RGCT Rio Grande cutthroat trout HUC Hydrologic Unit Code RMZ Riparian Management Zone IPM integrated pest management ROS recreation opportunity spectrum MDP master development plan (ski areas) SCC species of conservation concern MIST minimum impact suppression SMS Scenic Management System techniques TCP traditional cultural properties ML maintenance level TES Terrestrial Ecosystem Survey MMCF million cubic feet TEU terrestrial ecosystem unit MOU memorandum of understanding TMDL total maximum daily load MVUM motor vehicle use map USDA United States Department of NAAQS national ambient air quality standards Agriculture NAGPRA Native American Graves Protection and USDI United States Department of Interior Repatriation Act USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service NEPA National Environmental Policy Act WCF Watershed Condition Framework NF National Forest WNS white-nose syndrome NFMA National Forest Management Act WUI wildland-urban interface Lincoln National Forest i Land and Resource Management Plan – Preliminary Draft Table of Contents Acronyms ......................................................................................................................................... i Forest Plan Organization .............................................................................................................. 5 Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................... 6 Forest Plan Components ......................................................................................................... 15 Other Required Forest Plan Content ....................................................................................... 17 Best Available Scientific Information Applied in Developing the Forest Plan ......................... 17 Public Participation in the Forest Plan .................................................................................... 17 Forest Plan Implementation .................................................................................................... 17 Interrelationships of Forest Plan Content ................................................................................ 18 Consistency of Projects with the Forest Plan ........................................................................... 18 Adaptive Planning and Monitoring ......................................................................................... 20 Transition in the Implementation of the Revised Forest Plan ................................................... 21 Chapter 2: Forest-wide Plan Components ............................................................................. 22 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 22 Collaboration, Partnerships, and Relationships ....................................................................... 22 Vegetation – Ecological Response Units (ERUs) .................................................................... 23 Riparian Areas ....................................................................................................................... 50 Soils ....................................................................................................................................... 54 Water Resources .................................................................................................................... 57 Wildlife, Fish and Plants ........................................................................................................ 60 Air ......................................................................................................................................... 69 Fire/Fuels ............................................................................................................................... 72 Cultural and Historic Resources and Tribal Uses .................................................................... 74 Forest Products and Timber Suitability ................................................................................... 77 Range ..................................................................................................................................... 80 Recreation .............................................................................................................................. 83 Developed Recreation ............................................................................................................ 85 Dispersed Recreation .............................................................................................................. 86 Recreation Special Uses ......................................................................................................... 88 Roads ..................................................................................................................................... 89 Facilities ................................................................................................................................ 91 Lands ..................................................................................................................................... 93 Lands Special Uses ................................................................................................................ 94 Minerals and Mining .............................................................................................................. 96 Leasable Mineral Resources ................................................................................................ 97 Saleable Mineral Resources ................................................................................................. 97 Non-Commercial Mineral